James J. Walsh

James Walsh is a business litigator who advocates for and advises clients in complex commercial matters. He has experience in state and federal courts, arbitral tribunals, and administrative agency proceedings, including case development and strategy, pleadings and motion practice, written and oral discovery, trial and expert witness preparation, and appeals. Mr. Walsh has also worked on a number of cases seeking temporary-restraining orders and preliminary injunctive relief.

Mr. Walsh has represented individual and corporate clients in the financial services, energy, real estate development, construction, sports and entertainment, advanced manufacturing, natural resources, agribusiness and insurance industries. He has advised and defended clients with respect to claims for breach of contract, tortious interference, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duties, replevin, antitrust, constitutional matters, and the law of trade secrets, among others. He has a particular interest in cases involving governmental competition with private enterprise.

Prior to joining Benesch, Mr. Walsh served as a law clerk during all three years of law school at Huffman, Hunt & Klym, LLC in Westlake, Ohio and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Kenneth S. McHargh (Ret.), United States Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Ohio.

His recent representative experience includes:

Representing a major public utility in a claim against a large municipality alleging state constitutional violations, tortious interference, and unfair competition.

Representing two trusts in a breach of contract and bad faith denial of coverage action alleging a major insurer’s failure to pay a multi-million dollar “key man” life-insurance policy.

Representing a commercial lessor in a lease dispute against an assignee attempting to exercise a purported option to purchase in a commercial lease. Assisted substantially with drafting a successful opposition to plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment on the merits.

Represented a multinational advanced manufacturer in a replevin and breach of contract action in federal court seeking a temporary-restraining order and preliminary injunctive relief. Successfully drove the defendant to an early and extremely favorable settlement for the client prior to the court holding a hearing on the motion for temporary-restraining order.

Assisting with a major sports and entertainment marketer’s defense of a putative class action involving antitrust and trademark violations.

Represented a financial services client in a breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract action in state court. Obtained summary dismissal of client at the plaintiff’s deposition.

Represented a large agricultural distributor in a negligence action in state court. Assisted substantially with drafting a motion for summary judgment, which led to plaintiff’s voluntary dismissal of the case shortly after filing.

Represented a design engineering firm in a breach of contract action against a major multinational conglomerate. Assisted substantially with drafting the complaint, which led to a favorable settlement shortly after filing.

Representing a large tech company in a trade-secret action in federal court with claimed damages in excess of $100M.